Starching machine



Oct. 29, 1940. H. n, FORSE 2219,920

STARCHING MACHINE Filed May 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5452 5550 @OMI D' 1 52 'O4/ 10j 20 oz x #50 Oct. Z9, 1940 H. D. FORSE STARCHING MACHINE Filed May 18, '1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

INVENTOR #HK/fr FM'JE.

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- STABCIIING MACHINE Harry D. Forse, Anderson, Ind.

Application May 18, 1938, Serial No. 208,519 18 Claim (Cl. ill-24) amount of starch into the garment and further I remove the excess, if there be any, from the garment.

This invention is characterized by the device being continuously operable so long as the motive power is energized.

One feature of the invention consists in the automatic to and fro feeding to the starch containing receptacle of the article to be starched and its automatic removal from said receptacle and its treatment incident to such removal, as previously set forth.

Another feature of the invention includes the provision of a multi-chambered starch receptacle adjustable for the reception of articles to be starched so that the article may be supplied with the proper grade of starch material.

Another feature of the invention is, the safety of the operator is provided for.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following descriptionV and claims:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the interior mechanism of the starching machine, the cover, conveyor and starch receptacle being omitted for 'clearness.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine, a part'of the side casing being removed to show the parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the starch receptacle and its support.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view through the movable pressing roll support mechanism Fig. 5 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view through the starch removing and pressing mechanism with the starched garment therebetween and being subject to pressure and excess starch removal.

In the drawings I0 indicates a substantially open-work, rectangular frame structure. II indicates a half cover suitably secured to the top portion of the frame and extending but part way thereover from one end toward the midportion.

. It terminates in a reentrant and arcuately sectioned closure portion I2.

The frame is provided with another cover portion I3 and the same has curved ends I4 and I5. The cover portions 'I3 and II are spaced apart forming a throat I6 which is the garment receiving throat and through which the garment is applied to the starch in a receptacle therebeneath as hereinafter set forth. A fabric or similar strip I1 overlies the cover I3 and passes under roll I8 carried by the cover I3 in concealed relation and under roll I3 similarly carried and concealed.

An actuating arm 20 suitably supports an anchor arrangement 2l within the cover structure I3, and the ends oi' the portion I1 are suitably secured to the anchorage 2|. It will be apparent that as the member 20 moves from the full line position, shown in Fig. 2, toward the left, that the fabric exposed on the top ofthe cover structure I3 is moved toward the right and upwardly about the end' I4 and any garment or article previously starched and positioned thereon, is caused to be moved out of the channel I3 and upwardly from the starch receptacle therebeneath. At the proper time this travel is discontinued.

The article is removed and another substituted. Thereafter the travel of the conveyor mechanism is reversed and the article is moved into the starch receptacle so that the portions toI be starched are immersed in the starch. When the conveyorv returns to article receiving position, there is a dwell period in which there is no movement. It is during this interval that the garment is removed from the conveyor and another garment applied to the same.

The operation is entirely automatic. The movement is to and fro, as it were.

As shown clearly in Fig. 2, there is indicated at 22 an electric motor which through a gear reduction 23 drives a shaft 24. Shaft 24 mounts at one end a sprocket 25. Intermediate its ends it mounts another sprocket which meshes with a chain 26 in turn meshing with a sprocket 21 carried by a shaft 28 rotatably supported in the bracket 29. The shaft 28 has secured to i-t at 3I the cam 30. This cam 30 engages a, cam follower 32 rotatably supported on the shaft 33 extending between the two lever members 34 pivotally mounted as at 35 onthe bracket structure 36.

The lower ends of the member 34 are suitably connected together by the pin 31 to which one end of the spring 38 is secured. The opposite end of the spring 38 terminates in an elongated portion 33 threaded as at 4I) and the same extends through an opening 4I in the cross member 42 carried by theframe, and a nut 43 bearing on the member 42 adjusts the tension of the spring.

Extending across the two members 34 and between the mounting .of the cam follower and the spring connection thereto is a pin or shaft 44 which pivotally supports a threaded socket member 45 that is adjustably associated with the threaded end oi an actuating rod 46, the latter being pivotally mounted as at 41 between the spaced portions 48 carried by the conveyor actuating arm 20, the latter being of dual character as shown in Fig. 1, there being one of said arms 20 at each side of the machine and oiset as at 20a. The lower ends of these members 20 are pivotally supported as at 49on the support structures 50, the numeral 49 indicating a shaft extending across the machine as shown in Fig. 1.

Suitably secured to an intermediate and upper cross member 5| is a pair of blocks 52 which rotatably support a shaft 53 carrying a roller 54. This roller is of rubber or equivalent character. Immediately therebeneath is positioned a transverse--see Fig. E-rubber flap of squeegee character and indicated by the numeral 55. It is suitably supported by metal plates 56 secured by screws 51 to the members 52, as shown in said figure. 'Ihese plates reenforce the flap.

The shaft 58--see Figs. 1 and 2-mounts a sprocket 58 with which meshes a sprocket chain 59 in turn meshing with the sprocket 25, previously described. Thus, when the motor 22 is actuated, the roll 54 is rotated and in the clockwise direction, reference being had to Fig. 2.

A pair of channel members 60-see Fig. 4 as well as Fig. 2-is pivotallysupported eccentrically of the median plane thereof and at their lower ends, as indicated at 6| and by the support structure 62. A pair of members 63 positioned inside of the two channels 60 is similarly supported at 6|. This inside arrangement is shown most clearly in Fig. 4. 'I'he two members 63 are suitably connected by a channel construction 64.

The two channel members 60 are suitably connected by the transverse member 65 which also is of channel structure.

It has secured intermediate the ends and rigid 40 therewith, a nested threaded embossment 66.

The member 64 is apertured as at 61 and the member 65 is apertured as at 68. A pair of bolts 69 have their head portions bearing upon the outer face of the..channel 64 and the shank 45 portions extend through the apertures 61 and through apertures in a channel member 1|.

The shank also extends through the aperture 68 and concentric with each shank exposed portion is a coil spring 12, one end of which bears 5 against the outer face of the channel member 65 and the other end of which bears against a `washer 13, the position of which is adjusted by the nut 14 and locked therein by the nut 15. 55 The two bolts 69 each carry another stop member in the form of a nut 16 between the member 1| and the member 65.

Interposed between the member, 1| and the member 64 is a spring 11. A bolt 18 bears against the opposite face of member 1|, and in alignment with the spring 11 bearing on the other face thereof, and has threaded connection with the threaded boss 66 and is locked in the adjusted position by the nut 19. Thus, the mem- 65 ber 1| is unitized, as it Were, with respect to the member 65 and the two channels 60, although it is capable of movement away from the member 65, said movement being resisted by the springs 12 and 11. The two members 63 con- 70 nected by the transversechannel 64 are unitized, as it were, with respect to the member 1| because oi' the head portions of the bolts 69 and the stop members, to-wit, nuts 16. The two members 64 and 1|, however, are capable of movement to- 75 wards each other in opposition to the Spring 11,.

anaoao Reference will now be had to Figs. 1 and 2.

The upper ends of members 60 support the bearing structures 85 which rotatably support the shaft 86 upon which is mounted the roller 81 of rubber or the like and similar to the roller 54. The plates 88 which support the rubber blade 89 are secured by means of screws 90 to the members 85. The blade 89 cooperates with blade 55 to remove surplus starch from the garment as it is being retracted from the starching machine when the rollers are positioned immediately adjacent each other, and with the garment, indicated by the letter A therebetween, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Th adjustments are such that preferably roller 81 contacts roller 54. The roller 81 is an idler roller. The roller 54 is a driven roller, and retracts or withdraws the garment from the starch pan by reason of its operative contact with operative idler roller 81.

Reference now will be had to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In these figures there is illustrated a pair of trackways 9| and a tank 92 is supported by a tray structure, as it were, 93 having the angular, depending portions 94. Rollers 95 are carried by shaft portions 96 supported by the portions 94. These rollers 95 roll upon the tracks 9| carried by the frame of the machine. On one support member 94, a short stud 91 is secured and is received by the slot 98 of an arm 99 pivotally supported at |00 in the support member |0I.

The shaft |00 extends outwardly from the machine as at |02 and has rigid therewith a lever arm |03 having a handle |04. This handle when actuated, serves to position the carriage structure 98, et cetera, so that any one of the .three chambers of the starch tank is positioned beneath the orifice or throat I6. These chambers are formed by partitions 92af-see Fig. 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the central chamber is in registration with the throat I6.

A brief description of the operation of the device will now be setl forth and from which the simplicity and automatic action of the invention will be readily understood. The garment such as a shirt is rst placed by the operator on the conveyor l1. 'I'he collar portion and the two cuffs, if they are to be starched, are placed one above the other or side by side, as desired, and the machine being continuously operable then carries the cus and collar through the throat I6 through the operation of conveyor |1 which continues its movement suiiciently so the collar and cuffs engage and become immersed in the starch in the tank 92 beneath the throat I6. The operator maintains the remainder of the garment on the conveyor |1 by placing one hand on the garment. The parts are illustrated in Fig. 2 as in the starching position.

Thereafter the idler roll 81 is brought upwardly and to the right from its position shown in Fig. 2, until it engages the garment as shown in Fig. 5. About this time the roller 54 together with conveyor I1,f which now reverses its travel, tends to withdraw the collar and cuifs from the starch chamber. The position of lever 2l' in Fig. 2 represents the start of the withdrawal operation ofconveyor I1. a

As the starched elements are withdrawn from the starching tray, the two cooperating rubber blades wipe the surface thereof and the surplus starch is removed from the surface of said portions. As the starched portions are caused to be elevated and removed through the starching machine throat, the pressure exerted by the roller 8l in opposition to the roller il is such as to remove all. starch in excess of `that desired. The movement of the starched article through the pair of cooperating rolls 5.4 and 81 is facilitated by the clockwise movement of roll l, roll 8l also revolving in a counterclockwise direction because it is or idler character.

After the garment is released from the rolls, continued travel of the conveyor Ilin the reverse direction fully removes the article from the starching machine throat leaving it on the conveyor from where it is removed from the operator and another article replaced, preliminary to the application of starch thereto. During thesidered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest them- 40 selves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The. invention claimed is:

1. In a starching machine, the combination of a starch container, means presenting a garment to be starched to the container and removing same therefrom, pressure applying means, and means operating the pressure means in timed relation to the presenting means operation for o pressing the starched garment by the pressure applying means in the withdrawal movement of the garment.

2. A machine of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of continuously operable power means for operating the presenting means and the pressure. applying operating means.

3. A machine of the character dei-ined by claim l, characterized by the container being of mul- 00 tiple compartment character for diiIerent starching mediums and by the addition of means for positioning the selected compartment in operative relation to the presenting means and pressure applying means.

4. A machine of the character defined by claim.

1, characterized by the presenting means being of cyclic and oscillatory character for alternately presenting a garment to the container and removing the same therefrom.

5. A machine of the character defined by claim l, characterized by the pressure applying means including a relatively stationary flexible scraper and a movable exible scraper, said scrapers having operative pressure scraping action upon the 75- garment therebetween.

6. A machine of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the pressure applying means including a pair of rotatable rollers which are relatively movable, one of which has a xed position, said rollers having operative pressure squeezing action upon the garment therebetween, said pressure applying means further including a relatively stationary flexible scraper and a movable ilexible scraper, said Scrapers having operative pressure scraping action upon the garment therebetween, and interposed between said rollers and said container, and means connecting the movable scraper and movably positioned roller together for simultaneous and similarmovement.

7. A machine of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the pressure applying means including a pair of rotatable rollers which are relatively movable, one of which has a fixed position, said rollers having operative pressure squeezing action upon the garment therebetween, and means for rotating the fixed position roller, said pressure applying means fin-ther including a relatively stationary ilexible scraper and a movable iiexible scraper, said Scrapers having operative pressure scraping action upon the garment therebetween, and interposed between said rollers and said container, and means connecting the movable scraper and movably positioned roller together for simultaneous and similar movement.

8. A machine of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the pressure applying means including a pair of rotatable rollers which are relatively movable, one of which has a xed position, said rollers having operative pressure squeezing action upon the garment therebetween, and means for rotating the xed position roller and in a direction to facilitate garment removal from the container, said pressure applying means further including a relatively stationary flexible scraper and a movable `flexible scraper, said scrapers having operative pressure scraping action upon the garment therebetween, and interposed between said rollers and said container, and means connecting the movable scraper and movably positioned roller together for simultaneous and similar movement.

9. In a starching machinea garment engaging pressure applying member, a tiltable support therefor, and means tilting the support for tilting the member into pressing position, said means including a yielding arrangement, an actuated member, means connecting same to the support and constraining the actuated member toward the support but permitting relative movement therebetween, and other means constraining the actuated member away from the support in opposition to the rst mentioned means.\

10. In a starching machine, a garment engaging pressure applying member, a tiltable support therefor, and means tilting the support for tilting the member into pressing position, said means including a yielding arrangement, an actuated member, means connecting same to the support and constraining the actuated member toward the support but permitting relative movement therebetween, other means constraining the actuated member away from the support in opposition to the first mentioned means, and means limiting the separating movement between the support and actuated member.

11. In a starching machine, a garment engaging pressure applying member, a tiltable support therefor, and means tilting the support for tilting the member into pressing position, said means including a yielding arrangement. an actuated member, means connecting same to the support and constraining the actuated -member toward the support but permitting relative movement therebetween, other means constraining the actuated member away from the support in opposition to the ilrst mentioned means. and means limiting v ing the separating movement between the support and actuated member, and means limiting the approach movement between the support and actuated member.

13. In a starching machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a floatingl member operatively interposed between the power operable member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support and constraining the former toward the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the iloating member and constraining same toward separated relation, and means limiting movement of the floating member toward the support, the initial constraint having a direction opposite the direction of pressure application.

14. In a starching machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a floating member operatively interposed between the power operable member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support and constraining the former toward the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the floating member and constraining same toward separated relation, and means limiting movement of the floating member toward the support, the initial constraint having a direction opposite the direction of pressure application, the last mentioned means being of adjustable character and cooperating with -the separating constraint means.

l5. In a starching machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a floating member operatively interposed between the power operable member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support and constraining the former toward the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the floating member and .constraining same toward separated relation, and means limiting asumo movement of the oating member toward the support, the initial constraint having a direction opposite the direction of pressure application, the rst mentioned constraint means having cooperative association with the floating member in the form of a stop arrangement.

16. In a stai-ching machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a iloating member operatively interposed between the power operable member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support and constraining the former toward the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the floating member and constraining same toward separated relation, and means Hunting movement of the floating member toward the support. the initial constraint having a direction opposite the direction of pressure application, the last mentioned means being of adjustable character and cooperating with the separatingconstraint means, the first mentioned constraint means having cooperative association with the oating member in the form of a stop arrangement.

17. In astarching'machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a floating member operatively interposed between the power operable member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support and oonstraining the former toward 4the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the oating member and constraining same toward separated relation, means limiting movement oi' the oating member toward the support, the initial constraint having a. direction opposite the direction of pressure application, and

another pivotal support for pivotally supporting the power operable member upon an axis substantially coincident with tilting axis of the main support.

18. In a starching machine having a garment engaging pressure applying member, the combination of a main support for said member and tiltably mounted and means for tilting said support including a power operable member remote from the pivotal axis, a floating member operatively interposed between the power oper-V able member and the support, means connecting the power operable member to the support4 and constraining the former toward the latter but permitting relative movement therebetween, means interposed between the power operable member and the iloating member and constraining same toward separated relation, means limiting movement of the iioating member toward the support, the initial constraint having a direction opposite the direction of pressure application, and another pivotal support for pivotally4 supporting the power operable member upon an axis substantially coincident with tilting axis of the main support, the first mentioned constraint means having cooperative association with the iioating member in the i'orm of a stop arrangement.

HARRY D. FORSE. 

